Judeo-Christian Teaching on Euthanasia: Definitions,Distinctions and Decisions

For an integral non-Catholic Christian presentation, cf. P. Ramsey's “The Indignity of Death With Dignity” in Horan-D D. , Mall (eds.) Death, Dying and Euthanasia (Washington, D.C.: University Publications, 1977) pp. 305–330: also. “Death's Pedagogy”, Death, Dying and Euthanasia, 331-343: also his Ethics At The Edges of Life (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1978) pp. 145-335.

Cf. Jakobovits Rabbi Immanuel “Some Recent Jewish Views On Euthanasia.” in Horan-Hall, op. cit., pp. 344–347.

New York Times, (12/5/73), p. 22; the complete document distributed by the A.M.A. is “Report of the Judicial Council ‘On The Physician and the Dying Patient”’, (Dec., 1973) 5 pp.

Cf. “Current Opinions of the Judicial Council of the A.M.A.,” (Chicago: A.M.A., 535 North Dearborn St., 1981) n. 2., 11, “Terminal Illness.” p. 9.

Cf. O'Donnell T.J. . “Catholic Thought On Man's Duty to Prolong His Life: An Historical Review.” Medical-Moral Newsletter v. 17. #2 (February 1980) pp. 5–8; J.R. Connery, “Prolonging Life: The Duty and Its Limits,” Linacre Quarterly, v. 47, 2 (May 1980), pp. 151-165; G.M. Atkinson, (Ch. 7) “Theological History of Catholic Teaching On Prolonging Life” in McCarthy-Moraczewski (eds.) Moral Responsibility in Prolonging Life Decisions (St. Louis: Pope John Center, 1981) pp. 95-115, (This last study is limited to the examination of a 1958 doctoral dissertation.)

Pius XII Pope “Prolongation of Lift” (11/24/57); the French original in Acta Apostolicae Sedis 49 (1957) 1027–1044; English translation in The Pope Speak s 4 (‘57-58) pp. 393-398.

NCCB. “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Facilities,” (Nov. 1971; rev. 1975) (Washington, D.C.: U.S.C.C. 1975) #28. p. 7.

SCDF. Declaratio de Euthanasia, (May 5. 1980); Latin original in AAS 72 (1980) pp. 542-552; English translation. Declaration on Euthanasia (Boston: St. Paul Editions. 1980) 14 pp.

Baker K. Fundamentals of Catholicism, Vol. I.(San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1982), #26-29. pp. 194–205.

President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research. Deciding To Forego Life-Sustaining Treatment (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1983). “Ordinary Versus Extraordinary Treatment.” pp. 82-89; proposed “substitute”, cf. footnote #132, pp. 88-89.

President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research. Deciding To Forego Life-Sustaining Treatment (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1983). “Ordinary Versus Extraordinary Treatment.”, p. 88.

President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research. Deciding To Forego Life-Sustaining Treatment (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1983). “Ordinary Versus Extraordinary Treatment.”, footnote #132, p. 89.

The term “proportionate” (disproportionate) is verbally similar to the term “proportionalism”. The latter, however, is a whole moral methodology not acceptable to, and in part contradictory of, received Catholic moral teaching. While the SCDF “Declaration On Euthanasia” does once, in the Latin original, use the expression “proportionate and disproportionate means’” (“de mediis ‘proportionatis’ et ‘disproportionatis”,” in AAS 72 (1980) p. 550), it does not by that mention adopt “proportionalism” as a moral methodology, nor does it propose “proportionalism” as a replacement or substitute for the ordinary/extraordinary distinction. Indeed, the same text of the same declaration states that the principle of the non-obligatoriness of “extraordinary means” remains as a principle (“quae, ut principum”) always valid (“semper valet”). AAS 72 (1980) p. 549).

SCDF. Declaration On Euthanasia (5/5/80), n.IV. op, cit., (Latin, AAS 72 (1980), p. 550; English, p. II).

SCDF. Declaration On Euthanasia (5/5/80), n.IV. op, cit., (Latin AAS 72 (1980) 550–551; English, p. 12).

Connery J. R. , in McCarthy-Moraczewski (eds,) op. cit., p. 129.

This is not a singular conclusion on my part for the same position can be verified in approved Catholic textbooks of medical ethics, cf.: O'Donnell T.J. Medicine and Christian Morality (New York: Alba House, 1976) pp. 41–63; C.J. McFadden, The Dignity of Life (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 1976) pp. 146-173; W.E. May, Human Existence, Medicine and Ethics (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1977) pp. 131-158; pp. 159-170; B. Ashley-K. O'Rourke, Health Care Ethics (2nd ed.) (St. Louis: Catholic Health Association, 1982) pp. 379-388. (The notion of “passive euthanasia” in the last source needs more careful definition, pp. 380-381.) J.R. Connery in McCarthy-Moraczewski (eds.) op. cit., pp. 124-138. (This last is surely the best treatment on the subject.)

Humphry D. Let Me Die Before I Wake, (Glendale. CA: Economy Self Publishing, 1982) 102 pp.: D. Humphry, A. Wickett, The Right To Die (NY: Harper & Row. 1986) 372 pp.: J. Rachels, The End of Life (NY: Oxford University Press, 1986) 204 pp.

Humphry op. cit., pp. 11. 18, 25, 33, 55; a page 59 footnote instructs “the ‘natural gas’ used in today's cooking ovens is not lethal, as was the old ‘city gas.’ “; p. 66; p. 74.

Cf., e.g., Directives. 28 and 29 of NCCB. “Ethical and Religious Directives,” op. cit., p. 7: # 28, “… However, neither the physician nor the patient is obligated to use extraordinary means.” # 29. “It is not euthanasia to give a dying person sedatives and analgesics for the alleviation of pain, when such a measure is judged necessary, even though they may deprive the patient of the use of reason, or shorten his life.” Similarly, cf. 1980 “Declaration” n. IV, op. cit., (Latin AAS 72 (1980) p. 550; English, p. 12): “One cannot impose on anyone the obligation to have recourse to a technique which is already in use but which carries a danger or is burdensome. Such a refusal is not the equivalent of suicide: …”

Cf., e.g., Directive # 28, op. cit., p. 7: # 28. “… the failure to supply the ordinary means of preserving life is equivalent to euthanasia.”

SCDF, “Declaration” (5/5/80) n.II. op. cit., (Latin, AAS 72 (1980) p. 546; English, p. 8).

Supreme Court of New Jersey. No. A-108 (September term. 1983) “In the Matter of Claire Conroy” (Decided—Jan. 17. 1985) (Opinion by Justice Schreiber for majority) 83pp.

Chambers M. New York Times (5/23/86) p. A. 18.

New York Times (3/17/86) p. B, 7; Time 127 (3/31/86) p. 60.

SCDF. “Declaration” (5/5/80) n. IV, op. cit., (Latin AAS 72 (1980) 551; English, p. 12).

Original address is in English in AAS 78 (1986), p. 315.

John Paul II, Pope. (Nov. 15, 1985) Original address in Italian in AAS 78 (1986) 361; English translation in English edition of L'Osservatore Romano (#51-2/917. (Dec. 23-30, 1985) p. 15).

This reversal has not gone unnoticed. Cf, e.g., Siegler M. (M.D.) , Weisband A.J. J.D. “Against the Emerging Stream”. Archives of Internal Medicine, v. 145 (Jan. 1985) pp. 129–131. Even more directly on the reversal in ethics, cf. R.C. Sider, M.D., C. D. Clements, Ph.D., “The New Medical Ethics.” Archives of Internal Medicine, v. 145 (Dec., 1985), pp. 2169-2171.

Sider R. , Clements C. “Against the Emerging Stream”. Archives of Internal Medicine, v. 145 (Jan. 1985), p. 2169.

Lifton R.J. The Nazi Doctors, (New York: Basic Books. 1986), 561 pp.

Wertham F. A Sign For Cain (New York: Warner Paperback. 1969), pp. 150–186.

Alexander L. “Medical Science Under Dictatorship“. New England Journal of Medicine, v. 249 (1949), pp. 39–47.

Wertham op, cit., p. 157.

Shinner Fit R. . “Secularization in Germany and America.” in Sh'ma: A Journal of Jewish Responsibility v. 15/290 (March 22. 1985) pp. 75–76; also. Rabbi A.J. Wolf and Rabbi S. Siegel in Sh'ma, v.15/287 (2/7/85) pp. 49-50.